WORCESTER — History will be made Sunday when Worcester's Roman Catholic Bishop Robert J. McManus joins Metropolitan Methodios of Boston and clergy of the city's Greek Orthodox Church in celebrating the Easter Agape Service at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Russell Street.

The Rev. Dean Paleologos, dean of St. Spyridon's, said the joint presence of the Greek Orthodox and Catholic bishops will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting between Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI in Jerusalem in 1964.

"Bishop McManus is also doing this because of his love for Metropolitan Methodios," said Rev. Paleologos.

The Orthodox and Catholic churches separated in a schism in 1054. It would be 500 years before a ecumenical patriarch and a pope would personally meet.

Over the past few decades, the churches, both locally and internationally, have taken steps to bring about a closer relationship. There's hope that the two will eventually become reunited.

In Worcester, Greek Archbishop Iakovos and Catholic Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan began a dialogue in the 1960s.

The joint appearance of the two current prelates will be made possible because Christian churches of the East and West are celebrating Easter on the same day. Eastern and Western churches use a different calendar in determining Easter.

The service begins at 11 a.m. and will include vespers, preaching and Gospel readings.

Raymond Delisle, a spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Worcester, said Bishop McManus will have a busy schedule this Easter weekend.

After joining in at the service at the Greek cathedral, he is scheduled to take part in the Hispanic noontime Easter Mass at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul on High Street.

At noon Friday, the bishop will lead the annual Way of the Cross procession from St. John's Church on Temple Street to the cathedral. He will then take part in the 3 p.m. Good Friday liturgy, which will also take place at St. Paul's.

On Saturday, he will preside over the Easter vigil at the cathedral. The service is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

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